Madison Snaps: December 12, 2006

Today's image is titled The Leg Lamp and was photographed by Matthew Matter.

This photo evokes two primary memories, one seasonal and the other local. The first, of course, is the 1983 film A Christmas Story. The Old Man's leg lamp plays a memorable role in the story, and has since become a pop culture icon as the film achieves a classic status. Multiple versions of these lamps are available for sale, including a Red Rider brand produced by the same person who opened up a museum dedicated to the movie to much hoopla a couple of weeks ago in the same Cleveland house where much of the film was shot. Barry Orton discussed this phenomenon several days ago, sharing his appreciation for the Christmas classic.

The second memory is the location of this particular leg lamp, which helped light up The Slipper Club, a tavern and music venue once located the second block of West Main Street in downtown Madison. It closed on July 29, 2006. The space has since been revived as Adair's Lounge, a jazz and blues club that also hosts DJs, karaoke, and private parties.